Portable apparatus for the storage and supply of compressed gases.



M. H. ROBERTS. PORTABLE APPARATUS FOR THE STORAGE AND SUPPLY OF COMPRESSED GAS ES.

APPLICATION FILED OCT, 22. I918.

Patented Feb. 18, 1919.

2 SHEEIS-SHEEI I.

M. H. ROBERTS. PORTABLE APPARATUS FOR THE STORAGE AND SUPPLY OF COMPRESSED GASES.

APPLICATION FILED OCT 22. I918. 4

Patented Feb. 18, 1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEEI 2.

MONTAGUE H. ROBERTS, 0F JERSEY CITY, N

comranr, 1nd, or NEW YORK, 1r.

EW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO AIR REDUCTION Y., A CORPORATION (IF NEW YORK.

PORTABLE APPARATUS FOR THE STORAGE AND SUPPLY OF COMPRESSED GASES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb, 18, T919.

Application filed October 22, 1918. Serial No. 259,289.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MONTAGUE H. R013- ERTs a citizen of the United States, residing at Jersey City, in the county of Hudson, State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Portable Apparatus for the Storage and Supply of Compressed Gases; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which. it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to a portable apparatus for the storage and supply of compressed gases, such 'as compressed oxygen, compressed nitrogen, compressed hydrogen, and ethylene.

In the utilization of compressed gases, it is customary to compress the gas in bottles or containers so that a considerable amount of the gas can be confined in a small space for shipment and for convenience of handling, and so that the gas can beutilized at a pressure considerably above atmospheric, or .at any desired pressure between that of the gas in the container and atmospheric.

Such bottles or containers commonly have a capacity of about 1% cubic feet and contain about 200 cubic feet of gas at atmospheric temperature, compressed to a pressure of up to about 1800 lbs. or square inch. The bottles or containers ave to be constructed of sufiicient strength to 'withstand the high pressures of the contained gas, and also the rough handling to which they are subjected during shipment and use; They must also be provided with suitable valves for re lat-ing the flow of the gas therefrom an with means for reducing its pressure.

Where a large number of such bottles or containers are shipped, e. g. by freight, there is considerable danger of injury or breaking of their valves and of the valve extensions. Furthermore, when any considerable number of containers is required, it is. necessary to provide for the necessary supply of charged containers in addition to those which are actually being used, andthere is a similar number of empty containers to be returned to the place of recharging. The bandling of such a large number of containers involves the t 'ng up of a considerable amount of capital in the containers themselves, while the provision of individual contamers necessitates the separate handling of both the charged the places of use and of recharging.

The present invention provides an improved portable apparatus, whereby the objectlons and disadvantages above noted are largely overcome, so that there is a materially reduced danger of injury of the contamers, and so handled in a simple and improved manner with a minimum of labor and with important economies and advantages in the employment of the compressed gas contained thereln.

The invention will be described more in detall in connection with certain embodiments thereof illustrated in the accompanyin drawings, in which:

igure 1 shows a portable apparatus adapted to receive the bottles or containers;

Flg. 2 is an elevation with parts broken away to better illustrate the construction;

Fig. 3 is an end view of the apparatus, shodwing the bottles or containers in place, an

Fig. 4 is a vertical transverse section show in a modified construction.

nasmuch as the containers for compressed gases, such as compressed oxygen, nitrogen and hydrogen, art as bottles, this term will be used in the further description of the apparatus of the present invention.

The apparatus illustrated in-the drawin s is a portable apparatus mounted upon suitable running gear, such as a freight car or trailer truck, the main platform of the truck being indicated at 1. It is supported from the running gear bv springs or otherwise in any suitable manner. This truck is provided that the containers can be are'commonly known in the members 13 and 14, which are so shaped as to confine the bottles near their upper ends,

' as best shown in Fig. 3.

Mounted upon the upper beam 6 are the upright supports 15, carrying at their upper ends the channel iron member 17 which extends lengthwise of the apparatus at a level near that of the upper ends of the bottles. Suitably secured upon this beam 17, by straps 18 or otherwise, is a header or manifold 19,- adapted to have secured thereto a suflicient number of separate pieces of flex-. ible high pressure tubing, so that separate pieces of tubing may lead individual bottles. These pieces of tubing, indicated at 20 and 21, may be of any suitable length and configuration to permit their attachment to the bottles in the customary manner.

The bottles themselves are arranged in four rows, two on each side of the center of the apparatus, the two inner rows being arranged close to the central part of the framework, and the two outer rows being spaced away therefrom. The arrangement is such that the bottles are staggered and arranged in groups of five, the apparatus as a whole being adapted to carry fifty bottles, all of which are connected by the high pressure tubing to the common header or manifold 19.

Each of the bottles as shown is provided with the usual valves 22 for closing the bottles completely or for permitting fiow therefrom of the compressed as, or inflow of the gas during charging. he arrangement is such that any one of the bottles can be connected with the header or manifold 19 through its respective high pressure tubing 20 or 21, and so that several of the bottles or as many as may be desired can be similarly connected to the header or mamfold.

The header or manifold, which is also provided with a master valve (not shown), is madeof pieces of larger pipe 23, joined together by the high pressure tubing 24, and having high pressure tubing 25 at its end, so that it can be connected either to a source of compressed gas for urposes. of charging the bottles or to a distri uting pipe 'leadin to the desired place of use of the bottle gas. By means of the master valve in the header the supply of gas can be shut off or regulated as a whole. Thus one or more of the bottles can be left in communior both, arese arated from the atmo to each of the wearer cation with the header, and the regulation efi'ecte'd by the master valve; while'the 1n- The portable apparatus of the present invention can be taken to the source of the compressed gas, air plant, where either oxygen or nitrogen,

ere and obtained in a state of purity, an the gas can then be compressed by the usual compressors with which such aplant is provided and all of the bottles of the apparatus filled with the gas to the desired pressure. Each of thebottles can then be closedby closing the master valve by closing its individual valve in the usual manner. apparatus can then be taken to the place Where the bottled gas is to be used, for example, to a plant where oxygen is required for welding'or cutting purposes, and the distributing main or pipe of the plant can be connected with the header 19 to supply the gas to such parts of the plant where it may be required.

.In the use of the compressed gas, one or more of the bottles can be connected with the header and will supply its gas thereto until exhausted or until its pressure has fallen to that of the pipe into which it is supplied. If desired, all of the bottles may be connected with the header, so that a continuous supply of the gas willbe obtained until the entire suppl has been used up. The header 19 can t en be disconnecte and the apparatus returned to the source of supply of the gas, so that the bottles may be recharged.

It will be seen that the apparatuspro vides for the supply of a large amount of compressed gas 50 bottles in the particular apparatus illustrated) with a minimum of handling and labor. In fact, the only 0 erations necessary for the charging of the ttles and the utilization of the compressed gas are the operations of manipulating the particular valves to connect or disconnect any particular bottle or bottles with the without any additional operations whatsoever.

The portable apparatus of the present inventionnot only provides for the supply of a large amount of gas in a convenient manner, but it provides for the conveyance of for example, to a liquid The acavov ltQt this large amount of gas in a convenient and advantageous manner. The structure of the apparatus is such that the individual bottles are kept separate from each other, so that there is no danger of injury of the bottles by each other. The bottles are also protected from injury .While they are being conveyed from the place of charging to the place of use, for the reason that the bottles are individually held upon the truck and are confined so that they are prevented from any considerable movement. At the same time, the construction of the members 10 to 14: inclusive, of a' material such as strap iron, which is itself flexible or yieldable, provides for the absorption of any shocks during transportation, the yieldable supporting straps acting as shock absorbers. Some slight movement of the bottles with respect to each other and with respect to the apparatus as a whole is thus permitted, while the high pressure tubing 20 and 21 (pigtails, so-called) permits this movement without interference with the connections of the individual bottles with the common header.

In the charging of the'bottles it is customary to make use of a.Water-1ubricated pump or-compressor with the result that more or less moisture is carried into the bottles with the gas and collects therein. Unless this water is removed it will remain and accumulate with successive rechargings. The

modified form of apparatus of Fig. '4: is arranged to provide for the removal of this moisture, so that it cannot accumulate in the bottles. To that end, the apparatus of Fig. 4 provides for supporting the bottles in an inverted position, so that any liquid therein maybe first removed upon the opening of the respective valves, and will be thereby eliminated.

In the apparatus of Fig. 1, corresponding parts are indicated by the same characters used in Figs. 1 to 3, but with the suflix a appended thereto. The floor 1 of the truck is provided with a series of openings for the individual bottles, ofa size .Which will permit the necks of the bottles to project therethrough, but which will not ermit the bottles as a Whole to pass theret rough. These penings accordingly confine the necks of the bottles and-make unnecessary the provision of any separate confining means, such as is provided for the bottoms of the bottles in the apparatus of Figs. 1 to 3. The upper ends of the bottles of Fig. 4 are confined in a similar manner to that illustrated'in Figs. 1 to 3. The header 19 of Fig. 4 is arranged below the truck platform and is suitably secured to a beam or member 17 secured to the under side of the truck platform or its supporting members. The apparatus of Fig. it has the same or similar advantages to the apparatus of Figs. 1 to 3, but it has the added advantage of providing for the removal f any moisture contained in the bottles, so that accumulation of moisture therein is prevented. v

It will of course be understood that the apparatus may be built in different sizes and to carry a larger or smaller number of the individual bottles; and it will likewise be understood that the specific construction illustrated and described can be modified without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. The apparatus of the pres-. ent invention is available for use in the storof the nitrogen, for example, for illuminating purposes (as in incandescent bulbs) or where a supply of an inert gas is desired. Combustible gases may be similarly stored and transported and rendered available for use. Of course, if only part of the gas is required, a part only .of the bottles need be used, and the remainder of the gas .will be retained in the remaining bottles and will be available for use elsewhere or at some other time.

I claim:

1. A portable apparatus for the storage and supply of compressed gases, comprising a truck or vehicle having a supporting platform or framework, means for securing "thereon a plurality of upright bottles or containers of compressed gas, a common header for the said bottles or receptacles,

and means for'connecting said bottles or receptacles with said common header.

2. A portableapparatus for the storage and supply of compressed gases, comprising a truck or vehicle having a framework se-' cured thereto and extending thereabove, means connected to said platform and framework for engaging and confinin a plurality of separate bottles or contamers adjacent their opposite ends and out of contact with each other, a common header supported by said framework, and means for connecting said respective bottles or containers with said comtmon header.

3. A portable apparatus for the storage and supply of compressed gases, comprising a truck or vehicle having a central framework secured. thereto and extending therea'bove, means secured to said. framework for confining a plurality of separate bottles or receptacles near their upper ends, means for similarly confining said bottles or receptacles at their lower ends, a common header secured i to said platform and framework, and independent means for connecting each of said bottles or receptacles with said header.

4. Avportable apparatus forithe storage and supply of compressed gases, comprising a truck or vehicle having a supporting plat form or framework adapted to su port a 'plurality of upright bottles or containers of compressed gas m an inverted position, a common header for the saldbottles or re:

'ceptacles, and means for connecting said bottles or receptacles with said, common\ transport. 15'

header whereby any liquid contained therein can .bereadil removed. v

5. A porta le apparatus for the storage and supply of compressed gases, comprisin a truck or vehicle having a platform an having a framework secured thereto and ex tending thereabove, said platform being pro vided with openings for supporting and con-- fining the upper ends of bottles or recep tacles in an inverted position, means connected to said framework for v confinin the other ends of said bottles or receptac es, a common header for the bottles or receptacles, and independent means for connecting each' of said bottles .or' receptacles with said header.

6. A portable apparatus for the storage and supply of compressed gases, comprising a truck or vehicle having a platform and wearer or receptacles, and means for connecting said 7 bottles or receptacles with sald common header whereby the supporting means for securing said bottles or receptacles act as shock absorbers to prevent 'injuryduring 7. A-portable apparatus for the storage andsupply of compressed gases, comprismg a truck or vehicle having a platform and having means in connection therewith for 4 confining a series of bottles. or receptacles of compressed gas at their lower ends, a central framework secured to and extended above said platform, ineans secured to said framework for confining the said bottles or receptacles near their upper ends, a central header extending the length of said truck or vehicle and'suitably supported thereby, flexible high-pressure tubing connecting each of said bottles or receptacles with said header, and independent means for connecting or disconnecting any one or more of said bottles or receptacles with said header.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

. MONTAGUE H. ROBERTS. 

